Method of collapsing tin cans for shipment.



u. e. YOUNG. METHOD OF COLLAPSING TIN CANS FOR SHIPMENT. APPLICATION FILED APR.-23| 1918.

LWBWWW Patentedhliy 23, 1918.

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ATTORNEY DWltll'ltl'lh G. YUUN'G, 0F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

METHOD OF COLLAJPSJUWG TINT CANS FOR SHIPMENT.

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specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1%18...

Application filed April 23, 191s. Serial No. 230.36 1.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DWAYNE G. YOUNG, citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented 'a certain new and useful lm rovement in Methods of Collapsing Tin ans for Shipment, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the method of collapsing tin cans for shipment and to improvements in the method of opening such cans prior to collapsing them Y and the object of my invention is to provide a method by which the opening and collapsing of the cans may be quickly and easily carried out and by which the cans will not be mutilated in a manner detrimental to their future use and may be collapsed into a compact form whereby they may be baled for shipment. I

My method of opening and collapsing a can has proven a particularly advantageous method of handling large rectangular shaped tin cans of the form commonly em ployed as containers for soy bean oil which cans are shipped in large quantites from China and Japan to the western coast of the United States and there emptied.

After these cans are emptied they are collapsed and then baled for shipment back to Japan and China where the tin is used in different building construction.

For this reason it is desired that the cans be opened along lines that will not mutilate them seriously and impair their future usefulness for the purpose of making roofs and at the same time along lines that will permit them to be easily collapsed so that they will occupy the least possible space and be the most compact when baled for shipment.

ll accomplish these objects by methods illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a rectangular can showing the lines along which the ends of said can are to be cut;

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of a can showing the ends folded. inwardly prior to collapsing said can;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective illustrating a can in a partially collapsed condi tion;

Fig. 4 is a view in longitudinal section of a completely collapsed can.

Like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views of the accompanying drawings.

ln carrying out my method the ends 5 and 6 of a rectangularly shaped can 7 are each out along three of the sides as indicated by the broken lines 8, 9 and 10 in Fig. 1 and are bent inwardly against the sides of the can as indicated in Fig. 2. The can may then be crushed as shown in Fig. 3 into the flattened shape shown in Fig. 4:.

When handling cans that are full of oil the way of procedure to carry out the several operations which constitute my method is to cut one end of the can first, then emptying the can and then cut the other end after the can is emptied.

The two ends of the can shown in Figs. 2 and 4 are cut in such manner that they will fold against the opposite sides of the can but it will be understood that these two ends may be cut so that they will fold against the same side or so that they will fold against sides at right angles to each other if desired.

By the use of my method hereinbefore described the cans are out along lines that permit the entire ends to be folded against the inside of the cans thereby insuring a compact folding of the cans when they are crushed for baling. The ends of the cans are also preserved as rectangular sheets of tin without being cut or bent in any manher that detracts from their usefulness when they are employed for making toys, etc.

that 1 claim is:

1. The method of collapsing a rectangular can which consists in cutting the two ends around the edges of three sides thereof, then bending the ends inwardly against the sides of the" can and then crushing the can into a flat form.

2.. The method of collapsing a rectangular can into a flat form for shipment which consists in cutting one end of said can around the edge of three sides thereof, turning said end so severed inwardly, cutting the other end of said can around the edge a of three sides thereof, turning the said other end so severed inwardly and then pressing said can into a flat form.

In witness whereof, ll hereunto subscribe my name this 17th day of April, A. D. 1918.

DWAYNE Gr. YUlll lf-lr.

tloplee of this patent may be obtained; for live cents each, by addressing the tonimissioner o'l ratenta, Washington, 11. 0.. 

